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Laura Figi

Senior Newsletter Editor

Laura Figi has called Austin home for more than 12 years and has been known to say it’s her “favorite city in the world.” A proud graduate of Texas State University, she’s been working in local news since 2020. When she’s not working and learning about the community, you can find her at the local thrift shop, spending time with her two cats, or listening to live music.

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Culture
All the Austin-based musicians performing at ACL 2025
Put a few local musicians on your must-see list for ACL 2025 and you may just find a new favorite to put on your playlist.
September 4, 2025
 · 
Laura Figi
ATX_old6thStreet
Culture
Inside the inaugural VIBE Downtown mini-fest coming to town in September
The Downtown Austin Alliance and Future Front Texas partnered to host the celebration of Old 6th Street and community-building event.
September 2, 2025
 · 
Laura Figi
ATX_Koko'sBavarian
Food
Koko’s Bavarian is opening a new brick-and-mortar in South Austin
After closing its east Austin beer hall in 2023, the beer hall conceptualized by Bavarian royalty will debut an expanded menu in a new space this fall.
September 2, 2025
 · 
Laura Figi
A pickleball court at Other Racquet Social Club, with a sign reading the name of the business in the background.
Play
Where to play pickleball in Austin
We know you’ve got some skills — now it’s time to show them off.
August 29, 2025
 · 
London Gibson
ATX_FaregroundFootball
Sports
Where to watch the Longhorns’ season opener
Whether you’re looking for big TVs, great drink specials, family-friendly spaces, or $2 hot dogs, we’ve found a local place that is going all out for college football season.
August 28, 2025
 · 
Laura Figi
ATX_ReallySmallMuseum
Culture
See (and hear) some tiny art at the Trail’s Really Small Museum
The Really Small Museum’s rotating displays will allow trail visitors to enjoy some environmentally-focused art through October.
August 25, 2025
 · 
Laura Figi
ATX_UpstairsAtCarolineDog
Culture
Where to treat your pup on International Dog Day
We’re not barking up the wrong tree — Austin’s many four-legged friends deserve a treat on their special day.
August 21, 2025
 · 
Laura Figi
ATX_WatersParkHistoricalMarker
Culture
Flashback Friday: Learn about the hundreds of historical markers in Austin
Let’s take a deeper dive into some of Austin’s historical markers, the significance they hold, and how long they’ve been standing.
August 21, 2025
 · 
Laura Figi
SATXtoday: saint maya tequila
Play
Raise your spirits made by these Texas-based companies
Whether you’re on the hunt for whiskey, tequila, gin, rum, or something entirely different, we’ve found a Texas-owned spirit to sip.
August 20, 2025
 · 
Nicholas Caballero
A vibrant brunch spread displayed on a wooden table, featuring dishes like blueberry pancakes with bacon and eggs, smoked salmon with toast, granola with fresh fruit, a sweet potato hash, and a frosted slice of cake. Drinks include an espresso martini, matcha latte, black coffee, and a cocktail garnished with a dried citrus slice. A colorful checkered booth lines the back of the table.
Culture
Restaurant Roundup: New and coming-soon restaurants in Austin
Dining in ATX is always a fresh experience, with new restaurants popping up all the time — and more on the way.
August 20, 2025
 · 
Laura Figi
ATX_FailJewelry
Culture
Meet 10 finalists from Eliza Page’s Austin Shines design challenge
The Austin-based fine jeweler is sharing the spotlight with fellow local jewelry designers through the contest.
August 18, 2025
 · 
Laura Figi
The front of Austin's downtown City Hall
City
Budget breakdown: What makes up Austin’s $6.3 billion budget
The largest budget in Austin’s history will ask voters to decide on whether or not to approve a tax increase, which would raise homeowners’ bills by ~$303 annually.
August 15, 2025
 · 
Laura Figi
A wooden table boasts a spread of breakfast dishes including sunnyside up eggs, French toast topped with fruit, granola topped with fruit, a pastry, a Bloody Mary, orange juice, and a dish featuring hard-boiled eggs, bacon, avocado, and greens.
Food
85+ restaurants will participate in this year’s Austin Restaurant Weeks
Stay hungry my friends, because this celebration of local dining also helps feed folks in the community through the Central Texas Food Bank.
August 14, 2025
 · 
Laura Figi
aerial view of the austin skyline with skyscrapers, the colorado river, pedestrian bridges and trees
Business
Meet the top 15 Austin companies that made the 2025 Inc. 5000 list
Look out, you just might be working for one of these trailblazing companies that are growing faster than you can say “Inc. 5000"
August 12, 2025
 · 
Laura Figi
ATX_NightmareBeforeChristmasLightShow
Culture
“The Nightmare Before Christmas” will light up Austin this fall
The famous holiday film from Tim Burton will set up shop at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center for just over two months.
August 11, 2025
 · 
Laura Figi
At least eight goats eat the leaves off a plant at the Ann and Roy Butler Hike and Bike Trail.
Travel and Outdoors
The goats are baaack on the Ann and Roy Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail
The Trail Conservancy and Rent-a-Ruminant partnered to bring a herd of 150 goats to help clear noxious plants, like poison ivy.
August 11, 2025
 · 
Laura Figi
The Austin skyline, as seen at nighttime
Business
Industry ICYMI: 3 Austin business headlines you may have missed
Catch up on Austin’s business industry news with some of the biggest headlines of the week.
August 7, 2025
 · 
Laura Figi
A table set at an outdoor restaurant with a bowl of whipped cheese topped with diced tomatoes, herbs, and nuts, accompanied by pieces of toasted flatbread. Three cocktails are in the background: a pale yellow drink in a wine glass with a sprig of thyme, a dark espresso martini in a coupe glass, and a pink beverage in a tall glass with a black straw. The setting features wicker chairs, a potted plant, and natural light streaming through open windows.
Play
40+ great brunch restaurants to try in Austin
Check out these brunch restaurants, cafes, and diners in town, serving a variety of egg dishes, mimosas, micheladas, and more.
August 6, 2025
 · 
Laura Figi
An overhead view of a vibrant spread of Trinidad and Tobago dishes, including a central plate of goat meat in rich, brown sauce garnished with green onions. Surrounding dishes feature grilled chicken, stewed greens, mashed yams, white rice, crinkle-cut fries topped with sauce and herbs, and two types of flatbread—one plain and one stuffed. Small bowls of dipping sauces complete the presentation.
Food
Keep Austin eating: 3 morsels of food + restaurant news
There are two new openings and a closure on the way, including Chef Janelle Romeo’s new Trinidad and Tobago cuisine, an Irish cafe, and a Tatsu-Ya restaurant closing.
August 5, 2025
 · 
Laura Figi
ATX_FromAustinWithLove
Culture
How to spend the day on Burnet Road
Whether you’re looking to eat, drink, shop, see a game, or just explore the city, Burnet Road has everything you need across 7.2 miles.
August 4, 2025
 · 
Laura Figi
Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles sit at a Comic-Con panel. Padalecki is on the left with shoulder-length hair and a casual jacket over a graphic t-shirt, with a name card reading "Jared Padalecki" in front of him. Ackles is on the right, with shorter hair and wearing a dark jacket, looking toward him. Both are seated behind microphones, with Comic-Con logos on the table and the backdrop behind them. Bottled water is on the table.
Culture
29 celebrities who live in Austin
It’s not just us who love Austin — dozens of celebrities have chosen to forgo New York and Los Angeles in favor of the Capital City.
July 31, 2025
 · 
Laura Figi
A modern, open-concept living space with a neutral color palette, featuring a beige sofa, a black coffee table, and a dining area with a round wooden table and matching chairs. The space has textured, curved walls, large windows allowing natural light, and minimalist décor, including abstract artwork and a black pendant light above the dining table. The kitchen in the background has wooden cabinetry and stainless steel appliances.
Real Estate
ICON breaks ground on a dozen new 3D-printed homes in Mueller
Act fast if you’re interested in living in one of the new Mueller homes, because only a few are still available.
July 31, 2025
 · 
Laura Figi
A large crowd browses tables stacked with books under a white event tent. People of various ages flip through pages, chat, and examine titles. The tables are neatly arranged with colorful book covers, and the atmosphere is lively and bustling.
Events
Texas Book Festival announces R.L. Stine, Chelsea Handler, and Ali Hazelwood in initial lineup
The annual free book festival will share the full lineup of 250+ authors in early September, but here’s a sneak preview of 18 that are on the list ahead of November.
July 30, 2025
 · 
Laura Figi
Cars cruise along I-77 with the Uptown Charlotte skyline in the distance.
Real Estate
How much it could cost to rent in Charlotte based on the neighborhood
Trying to move neighborhoods? We looked at 10+ different neighborhoods around Charlotte to compare the cost of rent to the local average.
July 29, 2025
 · 
Maria Adnado
An overhead look at dipping ramen noodles, fried chicken, and mole.
Food
Ramen Del Barrio will move into its first brick-and-mortar this year
The Bib Gourmand Japanese-Mexican fusion restaurant will stay in north Austin and take over the former Bullseye Bakery space.
July 28, 2025
 · 
Laura Figi
ATX_NightmareBeforeChristmasLightShow
Events
Plan Ahead: Don’t miss these events happening in Austin
Bookmark this guide for a curated list of events taking place each month that we’re most looking forward to.
July 28, 2025
 · 
Morgan O’Neal
ATX_Back2theVideoStore.JPG
Events
The Back 2 The Video Store pop-up is now open in Downtown Austin
Bask in 1990s nostalgia at this hyper-themed speakeasy, where the video store comes back in a new way with cocktails, community, and pop-culture.
July 24, 2025
 · 
Laura Figi
ATX_AntonesSXSW
City
Downtown Austin Alliance debuts new XOXO app and photo competition
Downtown’s nonprofit city preservation organization created an app to make exploring the Capital City easier.
July 22, 2025
 · 
Laura Figi
Two hands clink colorful cocktails against a bright turquoise background. One drink is pale with a chili-lime rim and a purple orchid garnish; the other is pink with crushed ice, topped with shredded coconut and skewered blueberries.
Food
Celebrate National Tequila Day with one of these local specials
Agave up your worries this Thursday, July 24 because these local bars + restaurants are celebrating National Tequila Day with fun drink specials.
July 22, 2025
 · 
Laura Figi
A shot of Austin FC fans at Q2 Stadium.
Sports
How to celebrate the 2025 MLS All-Star Game all week long
The “biggest party in Austin” has a week-long itinerary to celebrate Q2 Stadium’s first time hosting the pros for the 2025 MLS All-Star Game.
July 17, 2025
 · 
Laura Figi
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